Royal Commission hears criticism of YMCA response

Published: 23 October 2013

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has been told there should have been an independent "co-ordinated and cohesive approach" to concerns involving a YMCA child worker, who has now been jailed.

- ABC/Yahoo7

Jonathan Lord is serving a minimum six years in prison for abusing 12 young boys during his time at the YMCA Caringbah centre in Sydney's south.

A mother known as AT has given evidence on day two of the Commission's second public inquiry. She withdrew her son from YMCA care after he told her that Lord would single out children to travel to excursions in a separate car.

"At no stage had the YMCA sought permission for my son to be driven in a car with only one worker," she said. "I was under the impression that my son would be in the care of at least two YMCA workers at all times."

Her son, known as AJ, disclosed that Lord had told him rude and inappropriate jokes and had made inappropriate comments about mothers of children he looked after.